After learning of yet another rise to minimum wage I want to extend my congratulations to superannuitants on getting their base rate benefit drastically increased.
Please don't crow too loudly lest the severely disabled and their families (the ONLY group who do not benefit from increased wages via linked benefits, iwtc or actual wages) hear you and realise the injustice the system has delivered yet again.
Why is the fact that those with disabilities are not getting enough, linked with super?
The fact is, disability support should be raised, by taxing the wealthy more, not by buying into right wing memes, attacking our one remaining, successful universal benefit.
With the latest polls showing Hillary Clinton remains likely to win the election on Tuesday, Republicans are preparing for the possibility of a second Clinton White House by promising to make the next four years a living hell. Some lawmakers are talking openly about refusing to approve any Supreme Court nominees until a Republican is elected president, the F.B.I. is investigating both the Clinton Foundation and the former secretary of state’s use of a private e-mail server, and House Republicans have vowed to launch additional investigations of their own. Now, a growing number of conservatives are warning that there could be a “constitutional crisis” if Clinton is elected, and threatening her with impeachment.
Hold it over him, adding articles by the day. Sounds good.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking lawmaker in the House, said Wednesday that Democrats must discuss a last-ditch gambit to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Senate and prevent the Republican-controlled chamber from summarily discarding the case against President Donald Trump.
“Some think it’s a good idea. And we need to talk about it,” Hoyer said just as the House began debating articles of impeachment that charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
As expected from the house of murdoch…..look over there anywhere but what scomo's up to and that your country's becoming too hot in parts to sustain humanity.
He also said there was an important psychological element — that is, that the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.
“This is not always empirically measurable, but it’s pretty basic psychology. If you’re the owner of a business and you know you cannot be sued for negligent conduct, you may adopt a cavalier safety approach.”
Finally, he said it fails the economics test.
“No-fault schemes typically become financially unsustainable,” he said. “The ACC has moved from one financial crisis to the next since it was drawn up in the 1970s.”
He makes confident assertions that can be questioned. However he may be correct when he says, 'the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.'
Also the limitations of what ACC is able to assist with for tourists with long-term affects from their trauma has been a criticism from those disappointed at returning home with some bodily damage that no insurance covers. I can't give details, but remember a few past cases.
And the lawyers' chagrin would change to a grin if they could sue for those extravagant amounts that the USA allows. I remember in the Simpsons that Bart was trying to cash in on that, dashing out in front of slow-moving cars and pretending to get knocked down. Homer, I think came along and accepted a small payment in lieu of starting an expensive Court case. Which is as moral as the real thing when they go full hog there.
Since Royal Caribbean was part of the process of getting their passengers on the tours to White Island, they may end up getting sued in an American court.
Will be very interesting how far that goes. New Zealand is very popular with the international cruise operators because of our "no fault" laws. Less chance of getting sued. The cruise operator gets a very solid commission on the ashore activities their passengers undertake, likely making more profit out of them than the activity operators. Showing a separation of liability in court could be tricky.
The enquiry into the complaints of sexual harassment, bullying and a serious sexual assault in the Labour Party have all but disappeared from stuff, radio NZ and the herald. You have to go searching to find them.
this story stayed in the media for days when it first broke and I believe cost Jacinda and labour in the polls.
i take wekas point last night about rape culture. I also take the point that absence of evidence doesn’t mean something didn’t happen. However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets. And given that the complainants evidence of the night contained critical errors, that her messages on fb and text on the months around the alleged assault do not reflect her allegations, and that evidence doesn’t verify she sent an attachment to labour officials about the sexual assault, we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen.
also the reports of bullying and sexual harassment weren’t substantiated either, although there was an admission by the alleged offender that he could be aggressive and he did make two sexiest remarks.
i am at a bit of a loss to know what’s is going on here. All I know is that there are multiple victims, and that Paula b used these young people to make political capital and it worked.
Just looked through Herald online and can find not a word re the report released yesterday. Considering the heavy handed accusations and innuendo levelled at Jacinda and the Labour Party you would expect a correction of some sort. Shame on you Herald.
On Morning Report this morning around 8:15am Jane Patterson gave her views on the report and its likely effect on the Labour Party. She believed the matter is now behind the Party and she didn't think the outcome would have any lasting impact on them. She went on to say that it is wrong for people to claim it was part of a pre-Xmas dump because it was only received a day or two ago and yesterday was the first opportunity to release it. She pointed out it was imperative for them to get it out of the way by Xmas and not hanging around into the new year.
All fair points imo.
I would link to the item but it hasn't appeared online.
The Jane Patterson – Corin Dann segment on Morning Report has been up online at RNZ's website for a couple of hours, Anne. It was exactly where I expected to find it on the Morning Report section for today’s programme. Here it is
Like you, I thought it was a well reasoned summary without some of the "heat" of some other commentary on the report etc including some of that here on TS on last night's Daily Review.
"we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen."
I don't. I'm good with assuming I don't know what happened.
"However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets"
I rate being raped as more serious than being accused of rape.
It's a given that National are opportunistic dirty politicos.
What concerns me here is the tying of Labour's wellbeing to lines that the complainents lied. This is unnecessary, and also, Labour's wellbeing is tied to how they handle things when they go badly. I think Labour did relatively ok this time, I'm guessing argely thanks to JA, and I can see some areas where they still need to up their game.
This is ok though, because it's ok to make mistakes, it's what one does after the mistake that matters. This is the antidote to macho politics and it paves the way to unravel rape culture. A position that trades of sexual abuse survivors for political gain both enforces macho politics and perpetuates rape culture.
People will believe what they want to believe. I'm talking about how the situation gets framed and used politically. I think the higher priority here is to pushing back against rape culture.
I completely accept that is how you see it Weka. I think most of us will form an opinion about what happened and of course we will never know for sure. Just like the Christchurch Creche case in which I think there could be some similarities. Or the Bain family murders.
I believe Labour took a hit in the polls for this as did Jacinda.
We don’t know for sure how Labour handled it because the second report into that hasn’t come out. But getting the thorough report from Maria Dew was a good thing to do.
I note from her summary virtually none of the complaints were upheld other than some aggressive behaviour and I think two sexiest comments made by the alleged offender. He apologized for both. Is this o.k.? Of course not. But the claims of bullying were not found. I think it was five incidents over 13 months.
Aggression is never o.k., but I am inclined to think it is likely rampant in politics. this is not to condone it.
I got the feeling after a quick read of the report on the alleged sexual misconduct, that it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship.
Labour has to ensure that those that wish to join Young Labour are there for the good of the Party, and advancing the ideals of the politics of the left into practice, and not just to meet the opposite sex and interesting people doing something to pass the time.
"…it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship…."
I agree grey though we can only guess I guess. Still as the names are withheld there should be no real problem for the complainants even though they were the ones who created the publicity in the first place. Anyway I guess there it lies and fades into the distance.
The discussion yesterday about ongoing viability of class analysis is germaine in respect to the durable alliance between middle & lower class on the left side of politics, in western countries following WWII through social democracy then neoliberalism. But culture wars have rended that alliance in recent years, so I was interested to see this take on the Brexit election from Mike Treen on TDB:
"Unfortunately, this advance in electoral support was largely reversed in the recent election with a drop to 32.2%. This came about because the right and centre of the party locked Corbyn into a position of supporting a second referendum on Brexit – leaving the European Union. This was seen by many Labour supporters who supported Leave as an attempt to overturn the democratic decision already made. Many voted Tory for the first time in their lives to ensure the decision was respected." https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/19/for-a-green-new-deal-with-peoples-power/
This notion that the remainers (urban liberals) within Labour were so disrespectful to the verdict of the people that they wanted to overturn it via a second referendum rings true. His thesis seems to be that Labour's middle class retain sufficient influence in the party to hamstring Corbyn despite the Blairite exodus.
Makes sense if they do have the numbers (but only an insider would know). It explains the large defection and abstention of working class Labour voters. It raises the spectre of a tribal divide between the two classes within UK Labour.
I'm seeing sufficiently evidence of workers voting Tory. This analysis from Vox puts the shift around 6% in working class electorates…
"Educated urban professionals have drifted left and the working classes have tiled right, a shift that social scientists attribute to the rising importance of immigration and identity issues in European politics. In Britain, Brexit supercharged this long-running process, as highly educated city dwellers tended to oppose Brexit (making them more likely to vote Labour) while rural and less educated voters tended to support it (making them more likely to vote Conservative)."
"The 2019 election results reflected the post-Brexit realignment. Labour was absolutely devastated in its traditional working class constituencies (the UK equivalent to congressional districts), with the Conservatives — long caricatured as the parties of the rich — making historic inroads. “The resounding Conservative victory was driven by a dramatic swing of working-class support away from Labour,” as the Financial Times put it in a post-election data analysis."
“In seats with high shares of people in low-skilled jobs, the Conservative vote share increased by an average of six percentage points and the Labour share fell by 14 points. In seats with the lowest share of low-skilled jobs, the Tory vote share fell by four points and Labour’s fell by seven,” the FT said in its analysis. “The swing of working class areas from Labour to Conservative had the strongest statistical association of any explored by the FT.” https://www.vox.com/world/2019/12/13/21004755/uk-election-2019-jeremy-corbyn-labour-defeat
so Brexit…..although the reported widespread dislike of Corbyn (the personality) may have contributed. Will be interesting to see how the Labour party deal with such a fundamental conflict
Also worth considering: "How did Labour come to squander the promise of its unexpectedly good result in 2017? A central part of the explanation was dither and delay on Brexit, which meant that Labour lost ground with both leavers and remainers. Some early analysis from Datapraxis suggests that nearly half of the Labour seat losses could be attributed to losing more remainers to other parties than the size of the Tory majority in leave seats. By attempting to triangulate, Labour convinced leavers it was for remain and remainers that it was for leave. The party looked cynical and opportunistic, as if it were playing games on Brexit to secure electoral advantage, rather than sticking to its principles or standing up for the national interest." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/16/labour-2017-2019-corbyn-brexit-election
This one is more explicit on the class divide within Labour, and provides historical context to document the trend: "This was not the first election in which more working class voters backed the Tories rather than Labour. They did so in 1983—the year of Margaret Thatcher’s landslide victory—and in 2017. But the gap was just two points in both elections. This time there was 15-point gulf: Conservative 48 per cent, Labour 33 per cent. The Tory lead among middle-class voters was less: 12 points."
"However, as with Labour’s heartland decline, last week’s election accelerated a long-term trend. In 1970, when Edward Heath led the Tories back to government, the Conservatives enjoyed a 45-point lead among middle-class voters, while Labour led by 22 per cent among working-class voters. Combining the two figures, the “class gap” was 67 points (45 plus 22). Nine years later, when Thatcher came to power, the class gap had fallen to 47 points: a middle class Con lead of 36 per cent, compared with a working-class Lab lead of 11 per cent. The class gap slipped to 28 points in Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide and 14 points when David Cameron secured his overall majority in 2015. Last week the class gap was minus three: it had gone into reverse."
Interesting that 1983 result…it will have been around the time of increased industrial action in UK. I am assuming that the unions functioned much the same in the UK as here in that period and there was always a significant proportion of National voting union members here,' shy Tories ' although some not so shy, and their numbers grow during protracted industrial action as the lack of income bites. It is one reason why compulsory union membership is not the panacea its often painted as.
As big Norm Kirk once put it, “paralysis by analysis”.
People are still dealing with the debris but the result is clear.
As many a losing general has done you assess the landscape post-battle, husband your resources, seek allies and opportunities, and strategise the next campaign.
"Voters didn’t defect from Labour because they felt the top 5% were paying enough tax, or because they thought our privately run railway system was a shining success, or because of their affection for sky-high tuition fees…. In January, YouGov asked why voters with previously favourable opinions of Corbyn had changed their mind. About three-quarters of the responses were linked to Brexit, which dominated all political discourse after 2017 and smothered discussion of Labour’s popular domestic policies. Labour was tortured about how to keep its 2017 coalition of remain and leave supporters together, and was paralysed as a result."
Brexit, the mendacious and continuous right-wing media attacks on Corbyn (especially the anti semitic rubbish) and a poorly focused campaign was why Labour lost.
Brexit was go in to happen, or be stopped by…. ..well Labour. So Corbyn decided to do nothing, instead of accepting the decision of the people and stopped fighting. That's just staggering in heinsight. Given he could of, after accepting half of his pro exit party decision, he then offered a referendum on full integration, drop the pound, to assuage his remainers. no, instead he vacilated and lost. He should of resigned but Labour just doesn't do leadership anymore.
"A friend of mine was standing as the Conservative candidate in Newcastle upon Tyne North, where the Labour incumbent won a 10,000 majority two years ago, and I knocked on a few doors for him last week. Every person I spoke to said they were going to vote Tory. In some cases, it was because they wanted to “get Brexit done,” which has been the Conservatives’ endlessly repeated campaign slogan over the past six weeks, but in others it was because of their visceral dislike for Labour’s leader.
“Most people I know who used to be staunch Labour are now saying no way Jeremy Corbyn,” said Steve Hurt, an engineer. “It’s not our party any more. Same label, different bottle.”
"According to the activist I was with, that had been the reaction wherever he went. He had knocked on 100 doors in a council estate earlier that day and all but three people he’d spoken to told him they intended to vote Conservative—and this in a city where 26 per cent of the population are among the most deprived in England. I asked why, if these electors disliked Corbyn, they didn’t simply abstain? Why were they planning to brave the elements on a cold day in December to vote for a party led by an old Etonian toff? “Because they hate Corbyn that much,” he said. “The biggest message they can send to him is to elect a Tory government.” It’s the same story across England—working class electors deserting Labour en masse."
Would you like me to change the other comment that you posted as Agora to the correct user name and e-mail address or shall I move it to the Trash folder?
Thank you for your efforts. You bring a lot of patience to your moderation, in fact the patience you display in consistently treating Paaparakauta/Agora/etc as though he weren't an obnoxious arsehole sets a standard I'd never have a chance of meeting.
My ‘philosophy’ is that we tend to see only the tip of the iceberg when people comment here in terms of their overall personality. By analogy, some people transform into frothing maniacs brimming with (road) rage when they crawl/climb behind the wheel.
I don't think this is right. There is certainly no appetite in the UK Labour party to go back to Blairism.
A new younger woman leader*, the end of the Brexit debate and more focussed communication of basically the same policies will see Labour sweep home in 5 years time after the public has found Boris out.
Do you mean that they will try to sweep up the debris of the broken UK? Perhaps they will develop some vitality and enjoyment of life and each other as in the Greeks dancing Zorba in the street and breaking plates. That debris represents all sorts of confusing feelings that probably match the confusing feelings that led to an outpouring of desire for change, any change and the cutting of ties to Europe was chosen.
Greeks breaking plates – It meant that the couple were throwing away their old life and embarking on a new life together. Smashing plates could fool the spirits. It was believed that breaking plates would keep the evil spirits at bay because they would believe the people involved were angry and upset—instead of celebrating. https://holidappy.com/party-planning/Why-do-Greeks-smash-plates-at-weddings
Back when his column got reproduced in the NZ Herald he was usually accurate. Hasn't lost that faculty: "the English turkeys marched bravely up to the chopping block, confident this would be a Christmas to remember."
"Boris Johnson’s big victory in Thursday’s “Brexit election” was achieved almost entirely with English votes. Only 20 of the 364 seats won by the Conservative Party were in the other three nations of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will continue to be called that for several years, but this election has sounded its death knell. It was the votes of English nationalists who gave Johnson his victory, and they don’t really care if the U.K. survives. Just as well, because it won’t."
"More than half of Europeans believe the EU is likely to collapse within a generation, despite support for the bloc hitting heights not recorded in more than a quarter of a century.
In France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland, a majority of people surveyed thought EU disintegration was a “realistic possibility” in the next 10 to 20 years."
Yes good read-thanks. He is right about Johnson being a hard-right operator hidden under a buffoon act.
I think if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave, which as Dyer says is likely, the English will turn on the Tories for breaking up the union. Labour should be a shoe-in in 5 years time.
Watching the ageing of NZ and people who have been prominent; the cracks start and widen. Those who have concentrated on their personal projects without thinking about ethics and the affects on their own psyche, mental health and the goodness to society of their addictive focus may find eventually they can not slide away unnoticed.
As you know, Moderators draw attention to their moderation notes and to bans in particular. There is an obvious reason for this, which is that moderation, in general, aims to be instructional, to encourage self-moderation and self-correction, and to (slightly) change behaviour on this site. However, the onus is on the commenters to read all the replies to their comments and respond accordingly and appropriately.
One so greedy many states want a part of him. And the other caught with kiddy porn – not just any old kiddy porn (sick as that is) – but really violent kiddy porn.
You have to hope that in February the Court of Appeal (and then the Supreme Court?) upholds the High Court's decision on the Cullen Group. Though this pales into insignificance compared to the $114m tax plus penalties owed by Watson. (Unless this is also subject to appeal-anyone out there know?)
A very sad death to add to the toll. Help the helper.
Sheila Cheng was killed in a car accident in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday, and her husband is in Waikato Hospital…
The nurse's friend Amanda Lorin said it is every family's worst nightmare.
A Givealittle page she set up to raise funds for the family has raised over $2000.
…Sheila was an experienced intensive care nurse who had worked in Taiwan, training others, before coming to New Zealand more than two years ago.
…Shelia had just gained a doctorate in nursing and started work at Whakatāne Hospital two months ago."She knew exactly what she was doing and I think they saw her as an angel that was sent because she knew so much about these burns victims."
Most people determine whether or not an email has a file attached. Lawyers apparently prefer to differ. Opine on the balance of probabilities rather than report the fact. They must have learnt the utility of the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment from physicists. However physicists use equations to calculate probabilities, such as whether the cat is alive or dead. They don't just refer to some kind of subjective guess and call it a balance.
“There is no reference in Dew’s report to the email sent to the Labour panel on April 26 which seeks “an update on the investigation” and stresses: “Just adding the seriousness of the situation here, an accusation of sexual assault, manipulation, bullying and emotional abuse.””
“Nor is there any reference to another email, dated June 11, sent to the three members of the investigation panel, in which the complainant directs them to “attached … notes of testimony”. The attached document, as previously reported by The Spinoff, contains clear reference to her allegation: “SEXUAL ASSAULT occurred February 2018”.”
Why would anyone expect a QC to acknowledge evidence? Authority figures are appointed to announce personal opinion as verdict. So the Spinoff journalists saw the file attached to the email, but the QC couldn’t care less. And folks wonder why the justice system is in disrepute…
As a fallback plan that's an idea, but I was still thinking more like "dolt supporters don't hate me because I'm not partisan, so I can beat the orange one".
But I reckon you might be more correct, the way she called the impeachment "partisan".
I can't believe she's so deluded she thinks there's a viable route to the White House. Looks to me like she's keenly aware of who her audience is and is playing them consciously and expertly.
But she must be aware the sum total of convergence moonbats, second-option bias fantasists, alt-lefties etc is tiny. The alt-righters, middle-finger voters, David Dukes and other deplorables aren't going to vote for her while they've still got the waddling spray-tan warning label to vote for. Nor will the tribal Repugs whose only voting criteria is what's got an (R) next to its name, even if it's the mouldering three-weeks-dead corpse of a brothel-keeper.
Nobody is expecting the outcome to be the departure of the Combover Con.
But impeachment still serves a bunch of purposes.
First, if trying to extort a foreign country by withholding congress approved taxpayer funded aid to pressure that foreign country into smearing a domestic political opponent isn't so unacceptable to merit impeaching, then where's the line?
Next, it further helps clarify what a bunch of spineless craven toadies the current crop of Repug senators really are.
For the sake of those on phones that don't want to deal with a massive comment I'll leave it there …
My favourite is if they keep investigating everything, any mismatch between his financial transactions and his tax returns will be made public. And while the repugs can protect him from federal crimes, their reach at a state level varies wildly.
I'm sure NY will be very interested, for example. I really like the idea of him defending completely legitimate fraud charges to his grave.
There's already enough stuff in public that would have buried any other pollie. Like the differences in property valuations he told his lenders and what he told local authorities. I'd be astonished if there weren't already things in progress on those issues. But they won't do anything to constrain his behaviour while he remains in office.
Arthur Allan Thomas, the man pardoned of the infamous 1970 Crewe murders, has been charged with historical sexual offending.
The 81-year-old's case was called today in the Manukau District Court where Judge Charles Blackie ordered his interim name suppression to lapse.
Thomas faces four charges of indecent assault and one count of rape….
The allegations are historical in nature and relate to two complainants, who have automatic name suppression, and recently came forward to police.
Extensive suppression orders, however, remain and prevent the Herald from publishing further details, such as the date and place of the alleged offending.
But Thomas' name is not suppressed. The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit. The justice and rightness together need to be carefully looked at.
It is different about institutions. With institutions, and Catholic or other priests, the institution is also on trial along with its procedures. Has it known and there been a hush-hush acceptance, which needs examination and its lack of responsibility to those under its care.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Probably could have worded that better … deliberately murdering someone isn't sexuality.
But there is so much wrong with Grey's post – Psycho Milt and others spell out some of them. I don't think Greywarshark thinks of women as actual people.
Grey I can't believe it. are you really referring Grace Millane as "that silly woman" or I have misunderstood what you are saying? Surely I have misunderstood. If not I think the moderators here need to take a look at this.
The police have taken a case against Thomas based on the evidence the complainants presented. The Crown lawyers must feel there is a case to answer.
Is there no end to this hysterical, historical sexual accusation witchhunt thing?
The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit.
No there isn't, and nor should there be, but interesting why you would rape apologise your comment with the use of 'hysterical' and 'witch hunt' to describe sexual assaults and rape.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Oh, strange fucking attitudes alright. That is the strangest I've seen for a while.
1. He didn't "hold a woman by the neck," he strangled a woman to death.
2. The heightened sexual effect was for him. What she wanted or didn't want can't be known.
3. Calling his victim "that silly woman" is seriously fucked up.
4. His name isn't openly available because he appealed the dropping of name suppression and NZ has rule of law, not because NZ is "too dainty to cope with sexuality."
5. Murdering someone isn't "sexuality"
6. Murdering someone isn't "procreation," in fact it's kind of the opposite.
As incredulous as posts like that are, and as much as I detest reading bullshit rape culture apologist nonsense, they do at least serve a purpose in letting us know who walks among us.
Job done, but probably not in the way the Nelson nibbler expected.
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Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
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The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
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After learning of yet another rise to minimum wage I want to extend my congratulations to superannuitants on getting their base rate benefit drastically increased.
Please don't crow too loudly lest the severely disabled and their families (the ONLY group who do not benefit from increased wages via linked benefits, iwtc or actual wages) hear you and realise the injustice the system has delivered yet again.
Oh, hey look…good work. I still expect super to remain the superior benefit and have no faith at all that the gap between benefits will be bridged.
The part of the article that talks about yearly increases is incorrect as CPI linked increases were never that big.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/budget/113093347/budget-nz-2019-benefits-will-follow-wage-growth-in-historic-change
Why is the fact that those with disabilities are not getting enough, linked with super?
The fact is, disability support should be raised, by taxing the wealthy more, not by buying into right wing memes, attacking our one remaining, successful universal benefit.
All eyes on the white house, it's going to be a massive day. The debate has begun and should finish in around 6 hours time.
Live stream link here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DJOz0Ux_gc
No no Cinny, I've got too much to do today. Oh well, I'll just watch a teensy weensy bit. 😡
Hehehehe, work was quiet today so I was lucky enough to be able to listen/watch a good chunk of it. Found it absolutely fascinating.
Partisan hypocrites.
https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/1207371985606434816
With the latest polls showing Hillary Clinton remains likely to win the election on Tuesday, Republicans are preparing for the possibility of a second Clinton White House by promising to make the next four years a living hell. Some lawmakers are talking openly about refusing to approve any Supreme Court nominees until a Republican is elected president, the F.B.I. is investigating both the Clinton Foundation and the former secretary of state’s use of a private e-mail server, and House Republicans have vowed to launch additional investigations of their own. Now, a growing number of conservatives are warning that there could be a “constitutional crisis” if Clinton is elected, and threatening her with impeachment.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/republicans-are-already-talking-about-impeaching-clinton
'Murica, where a corrupt, racist, lying, serial rapist is just like the Rabbi Yeshua
https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1207378548337598464
edit:
https://twitter.com/rutiregan/status/1207379842582372353
Then-and-nows of every single Repug that had a public profile in 1998 and now are just as stark.
There's always an old tweet or interview …
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/donald-trump-impeachment-nancy-pelosi-bush-interview.html
https://twitter.com/wolfblitzer/status/1207375509698596867
One moment a Messiah, the next, a fucking military base
https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1207386979744116736
Hold it over him, adding articles by the day. Sounds good.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking lawmaker in the House, said Wednesday that Democrats must discuss a last-ditch gambit to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Senate and prevent the Republican-controlled chamber from summarily discarding the case against President Donald Trump.
“Some think it’s a good idea. And we need to talk about it,” Hoyer said just as the House began debating articles of impeachment that charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/18/trump-impeachment-trial-steny-hoyer-087319
Cheers for posting all of those awesome links Joe
Pictures speaking words. Govt TV welcomes Chump: https://www.thedailybeast.com/russias-state-tv-calls-trump-their-agent
Headline in Aussie news: A law unique to New Zealand means the surviving White Island victims and their families will not receive proper compensation, legal experts say.
Suing lawyer complains NZ legal system unfairly discriminates against
suing lawyerspeople who sue.What a wretched excuse of an article that is.
Where 'proper' compensation means lawyers making out like bandits.
As expected from the house of murdoch…..look over there anywhere but what scomo's up to and that your country's becoming too hot in parts to sustain humanity.
Lump of coal anybody ? Piece of the reef maybe ?
Part of the linked article –
He also said there was an important psychological element — that is, that the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.
“This is not always empirically measurable, but it’s pretty basic psychology. If you’re the owner of a business and you know you cannot be sued for negligent conduct, you may adopt a cavalier safety approach.”
Finally, he said it fails the economics test.
“No-fault schemes typically become financially unsustainable,” he said. “The ACC has moved from one financial crisis to the next since it was drawn up in the 1970s.”
He makes confident assertions that can be questioned. However he may be correct when he says, 'the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.'
Also the limitations of what ACC is able to assist with for tourists with long-term affects from their trauma has been a criticism from those disappointed at returning home with some bodily damage that no insurance covers. I can't give details, but remember a few past cases.
And the lawyers' chagrin would change to a grin if they could sue for those extravagant amounts that the USA allows. I remember in the Simpsons that Bart was trying to cash in on that, dashing out in front of slow-moving cars and pretending to get knocked down. Homer, I think came along and accepted a small payment in lieu of starting an expensive Court case. Which is as moral as the real thing when they go full hog there.
What he forgets/omits is that suing is not the only form of legal accountability.
The OSH outcome on this is going to be pretty severe, I suspect.
Yes there are big holes in his argument. Comes from a self-interest POV. Needs more learning, that young fellow.
Workers on the ground, are pretty motivated to make sure they come home safe.
Since Royal Caribbean was part of the process of getting their passengers on the tours to White Island, they may end up getting sued in an American court.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/12/white-island-eruption-us-lawyer-considers-legal-action-against-royal-caribbean-cruises.html
Will be very interesting how far that goes. New Zealand is very popular with the international cruise operators because of our "no fault" laws. Less chance of getting sued. The cruise operator gets a very solid commission on the ashore activities their passengers undertake, likely making more profit out of them than the activity operators. Showing a separation of liability in court could be tricky.
The enquiry into the complaints of sexual harassment, bullying and a serious sexual assault in the Labour Party have all but disappeared from stuff, radio NZ and the herald. You have to go searching to find them.
this story stayed in the media for days when it first broke and I believe cost Jacinda and labour in the polls.
i take wekas point last night about rape culture. I also take the point that absence of evidence doesn’t mean something didn’t happen. However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets. And given that the complainants evidence of the night contained critical errors, that her messages on fb and text on the months around the alleged assault do not reflect her allegations, and that evidence doesn’t verify she sent an attachment to labour officials about the sexual assault, we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen.
also the reports of bullying and sexual harassment weren’t substantiated either, although there was an admission by the alleged offender that he could be aggressive and he did make two sexiest remarks.
i am at a bit of a loss to know what’s is going on here. All I know is that there are multiple victims, and that Paula b used these young people to make political capital and it worked.
Just looked through Herald online and can find not a word re the report released yesterday. Considering the heavy handed accusations and innuendo levelled at Jacinda and the Labour Party you would expect a correction of some sort. Shame on you Herald.
On Morning Report this morning around 8:15am Jane Patterson gave her views on the report and its likely effect on the Labour Party. She believed the matter is now behind the Party and she didn't think the outcome would have any lasting impact on them. She went on to say that it is wrong for people to claim it was part of a pre-Xmas dump because it was only received a day or two ago and yesterday was the first opportunity to release it. She pointed out it was imperative for them to get it out of the way by Xmas and not hanging around into the new year.
All fair points imo.
I would link to the item but it hasn't appeared online.
Edit: two items under politics ianmac.
Thanks Anne. True the articles were somewhat buried well down the page on the Herald.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/ardern-staffer-abuse-claims-thrown-out-20191218-p53l4v.html
Here's what the Sydney Morning Herald had to say. Very different to the local press who IMO gave it a very different slant.
The Jane Patterson – Corin Dann segment on Morning Report has been up online at RNZ's website for a couple of hours, Anne. It was exactly where I expected to find it on the Morning Report section for today’s programme. Here it is
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018727629/labour-party-alleged-assault-victim-reportedly-stands-by-her-version-of-events
Like you, I thought it was a well reasoned summary without some of the "heat" of some other commentary on the report etc including some of that here on TS on last night's Daily Review.
Thanks vv. They took their time putting the item online. It wasn't there around 9:30. Looked in MR of course.
Some slightly dubious semantics in play last night on this site. 🙂
"we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen."
I don't. I'm good with assuming I don't know what happened.
"However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets"
I rate being raped as more serious than being accused of rape.
It's a given that National are opportunistic dirty politicos.
What concerns me here is the tying of Labour's wellbeing to lines that the complainents lied. This is unnecessary, and also, Labour's wellbeing is tied to how they handle things when they go badly. I think Labour did relatively ok this time, I'm guessing argely thanks to JA, and I can see some areas where they still need to up their game.
This is ok though, because it's ok to make mistakes, it's what one does after the mistake that matters. This is the antidote to macho politics and it paves the way to unravel rape culture. A position that trades of sexual abuse survivors for political gain both enforces macho politics and perpetuates rape culture.
People will believe what they want to believe. I'm talking about how the situation gets framed and used politically. I think the higher priority here is to pushing back against rape culture.
I completely accept that is how you see it Weka. I think most of us will form an opinion about what happened and of course we will never know for sure. Just like the Christchurch Creche case in which I think there could be some similarities. Or the Bain family murders.
I believe Labour took a hit in the polls for this as did Jacinda.
We don’t know for sure how Labour handled it because the second report into that hasn’t come out. But getting the thorough report from Maria Dew was a good thing to do.
I note from her summary virtually none of the complaints were upheld other than some aggressive behaviour and I think two sexiest comments made by the alleged offender. He apologized for both. Is this o.k.? Of course not. But the claims of bullying were not found. I think it was five incidents over 13 months.
Aggression is never o.k., but I am inclined to think it is likely rampant in politics. this is not to condone it.
I got the feeling after a quick read of the report on the alleged sexual misconduct, that it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship.
Labour has to ensure that those that wish to join Young Labour are there for the good of the Party, and advancing the ideals of the politics of the left into practice, and not just to meet the opposite sex and interesting people doing something to pass the time.
"…it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship…."
I agree grey though we can only guess I guess. Still as the names are withheld there should be no real problem for the complainants even though they were the ones who created the publicity in the first place. Anyway I guess there it lies and fades into the distance.
Old scandals never die, they just lie and fester?
The discussion yesterday about ongoing viability of class analysis is germaine in respect to the durable alliance between middle & lower class on the left side of politics, in western countries following WWII through social democracy then neoliberalism. But culture wars have rended that alliance in recent years, so I was interested to see this take on the Brexit election from Mike Treen on TDB:
"Unfortunately, this advance in electoral support was largely reversed in the recent election with a drop to 32.2%. This came about because the right and centre of the party locked Corbyn into a position of supporting a second referendum on Brexit – leaving the European Union. This was seen by many Labour supporters who supported Leave as an attempt to overturn the democratic decision already made. Many voted Tory for the first time in their lives to ensure the decision was respected." https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/19/for-a-green-new-deal-with-peoples-power/
This notion that the remainers (urban liberals) within Labour were so disrespectful to the verdict of the people that they wanted to overturn it via a second referendum rings true. His thesis seems to be that Labour's middle class retain sufficient influence in the party to hamstring Corbyn despite the Blairite exodus.
Makes sense if they do have the numbers (but only an insider would know). It explains the large defection and abstention of working class Labour voters. It raises the spectre of a tribal divide between the two classes within UK Labour.
That theory might be correct if Labour supporters had voted Tory rather than stayed at home. They didn't.
I'm seeing sufficiently evidence of workers voting Tory. This analysis from Vox puts the shift around 6% in working class electorates…
"Educated urban professionals have drifted left and the working classes have tiled right, a shift that social scientists attribute to the rising importance of immigration and identity issues in European politics. In Britain, Brexit supercharged this long-running process, as highly educated city dwellers tended to oppose Brexit (making them more likely to vote Labour) while rural and less educated voters tended to support it (making them more likely to vote Conservative)."
"The 2019 election results reflected the post-Brexit realignment. Labour was absolutely devastated in its traditional working class constituencies (the UK equivalent to congressional districts), with the Conservatives — long caricatured as the parties of the rich — making historic inroads. “The resounding Conservative victory was driven by a dramatic swing of working-class support away from Labour,” as the Financial Times put it in a post-election data analysis."
“In seats with high shares of people in low-skilled jobs, the Conservative vote share increased by an average of six percentage points and the Labour share fell by 14 points. In seats with the lowest share of low-skilled jobs, the Tory vote share fell by four points and Labour’s fell by seven,” the FT said in its analysis. “The swing of working class areas from Labour to Conservative had the strongest statistical association of any explored by the FT.” https://www.vox.com/world/2019/12/13/21004755/uk-election-2019-jeremy-corbyn-labour-defeat
so Brexit…..although the reported widespread dislike of Corbyn (the personality) may have contributed. Will be interesting to see how the Labour party deal with such a fundamental conflict
Interesting, thanks. Wasn't the overall swing higher than 6%?
"General election results 2019 – national swing
Labour to Conservative: 4.70%
Conservative to Lib Dem: 1.36%
Labour to Lib Dem: 6.06%"
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/who-won-general-election-2019-21067495
The 6% who deserted Labour for the LibDems are presumably remainers…
Also worth considering: "How did Labour come to squander the promise of its unexpectedly good result in 2017? A central part of the explanation was dither and delay on Brexit, which meant that Labour lost ground with both leavers and remainers. Some early analysis from Datapraxis suggests that nearly half of the Labour seat losses could be attributed to losing more remainers to other parties than the size of the Tory majority in leave seats. By attempting to triangulate, Labour convinced leavers it was for remain and remainers that it was for leave. The party looked cynical and opportunistic, as if it were playing games on Brexit to secure electoral advantage, rather than sticking to its principles or standing up for the national interest." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/16/labour-2017-2019-corbyn-brexit-election
This one is more explicit on the class divide within Labour, and provides historical context to document the trend: "This was not the first election in which more working class voters backed the Tories rather than Labour. They did so in 1983—the year of Margaret Thatcher’s landslide victory—and in 2017. But the gap was just two points in both elections. This time there was 15-point gulf: Conservative 48 per cent, Labour 33 per cent. The Tory lead among middle-class voters was less: 12 points."
"However, as with Labour’s heartland decline, last week’s election accelerated a long-term trend. In 1970, when Edward Heath led the Tories back to government, the Conservatives enjoyed a 45-point lead among middle-class voters, while Labour led by 22 per cent among working-class voters. Combining the two figures, the “class gap” was 67 points (45 plus 22). Nine years later, when Thatcher came to power, the class gap had fallen to 47 points: a middle class Con lead of 36 per cent, compared with a working-class Lab lead of 11 per cent. The class gap slipped to 28 points in Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide and 14 points when David Cameron secured his overall majority in 2015. Last week the class gap was minus three: it had gone into reverse."
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/five-crucially-important-but-frequently-ignored-facts-about-the-2019-election-labour-conservatives-brexit-corbyn-johnson
Interesting that 1983 result…it will have been around the time of increased industrial action in UK. I am assuming that the unions functioned much the same in the UK as here in that period and there was always a significant proportion of National voting union members here,' shy Tories ' although some not so shy, and their numbers grow during protracted industrial action as the lack of income bites. It is one reason why compulsory union membership is not the panacea its often painted as.
As big Norm Kirk once put it, “paralysis by analysis”.
People are still dealing with the debris but the result is clear.
As many a losing general has done you assess the landscape post-battle, husband your resources, seek allies and opportunities, and strategise the next campaign.
https://duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-1&uddg=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.historynet.com%2Fsecond-punic-war-hannibals-war-in-italy.htm
[With the assumed understanding and agreement of the commenter, I have changed the user name and e-mail to the ones we had settled on (I thought); https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-12-2019/#comment-1674546 – Incognito]
Owen Jones in the Guardian gets it right:
"Voters didn’t defect from Labour because they felt the top 5% were paying enough tax, or because they thought our privately run railway system was a shining success, or because of their affection for sky-high tuition fees…. In January, YouGov asked why voters with previously favourable opinions of Corbyn had changed their mind. About three-quarters of the responses were linked to Brexit, which dominated all political discourse after 2017 and smothered discussion of Labour’s popular domestic policies. Labour was tortured about how to keep its 2017 coalition of remain and leave supporters together, and was paralysed as a result."
Brexit, the mendacious and continuous right-wing media attacks on Corbyn (especially the anti semitic rubbish) and a poorly focused campaign was why Labour lost.
IMO it's as much about the qaulity of their advisers and strategists then the front person who often doesn't get to set the agenda.
Tories were laser focused, labour all over the place with JC tasked to deliver it.
Yep-the Tories seem to have got the nice simple message and back room strategy together better than Labour.
This must be the case because, as Gwynne Dyer says, the Labour Red Wall seats were turkeys voting for xmas.
Brexit was go in to happen, or be stopped by…. ..well Labour. So Corbyn decided to do nothing, instead of accepting the decision of the people and stopped fighting. That's just staggering in heinsight. Given he could of, after accepting half of his pro exit party decision, he then offered a referendum on full integration, drop the pound, to assuage his remainers. no, instead he vacilated and lost. He should of resigned but Labour just doesn't do leadership anymore.
There's a good in-depth analysis here: https://quillette.com/2019/12/13/britains-labour-party-got-woke-and-now-its-broke/
"A friend of mine was standing as the Conservative candidate in Newcastle upon Tyne North, where the Labour incumbent won a 10,000 majority two years ago, and I knocked on a few doors for him last week. Every person I spoke to said they were going to vote Tory. In some cases, it was because they wanted to “get Brexit done,” which has been the Conservatives’ endlessly repeated campaign slogan over the past six weeks, but in others it was because of their visceral dislike for Labour’s leader.
“Most people I know who used to be staunch Labour are now saying no way Jeremy Corbyn,” said Steve Hurt, an engineer. “It’s not our party any more. Same label, different bottle.”
"According to the activist I was with, that had been the reaction wherever he went. He had knocked on 100 doors in a council estate earlier that day and all but three people he’d spoken to told him they intended to vote Conservative—and this in a city where 26 per cent of the population are among the most deprived in England. I asked why, if these electors disliked Corbyn, they didn’t simply abstain? Why were they planning to brave the elements on a cold day in December to vote for a party led by an old Etonian toff? “Because they hate Corbyn that much,” he said. “The biggest message they can send to him is to elect a Tory government.” It’s the same story across England—working class electors deserting Labour en masse."
I recommend First Dog On The Moon's awards if you have a spare moment – sorry can't link from this wretched device.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/18/the-greta-thunberg-lovely-award-for-driving-bitter-old-white-men-apoplectic-goes-to-
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/11/theres-an-unprecedented-environment-catastrophe-and-the-greens-still-cant-get-votes
😎
Tnx
Read it Stuart-thanks for the tip. Excellent.
Post-campaign analysis from Lord Ashcroft's Conservative Home.
"Labour’s civil war is set to get worse before it gets better."
https://www.conservativehome.com/leftwatch/2019/12/labours-civil-war-is-set-to-get-worse-before-it-gets-better.html
Would you like me to change the other comment that you posted as Agora to the correct user name and e-mail address or shall I move it to the Trash folder?
I'm glad to see you are in good form. I was worried you may be some kind of AI or bot. Please go ahead.
Which option do you prefer? I’m doing this as a service to the site.
Thanks Incognito – did I wish you Merry Christmas? If already, then feel free to have double.
I’m doing this as a service to the site.
Thank you for your efforts. You bring a lot of patience to your moderation, in fact the patience you display in consistently treating Paaparakauta/Agora/etc as though he weren't an obnoxious arsehole sets a standard I'd never have a chance of meeting.
Thank you 🙂
My ‘philosophy’ is that we tend to see only the tip of the iceberg when people comment here in terms of their overall personality. By analogy, some people transform into frothing maniacs brimming with (road) rage when they crawl/climb behind the wheel.
I don't think this is right. There is certainly no appetite in the UK Labour party to go back to Blairism.
A new younger woman leader*, the end of the Brexit debate and more focussed communication of basically the same policies will see Labour sweep home in 5 years time after the public has found Boris out.
*though Kier Starmer is very good. Deputy leader?
Do you mean that they will try to sweep up the debris of the broken UK? Perhaps they will develop some vitality and enjoyment of life and each other as in the Greeks dancing Zorba in the street and breaking plates. That debris represents all sorts of confusing feelings that probably match the confusing feelings that led to an outpouring of desire for change, any change and the cutting of ties to Europe was chosen.
Greeks breaking plates – It meant that the couple were throwing away their old life and embarking on a new life together. Smashing plates could fool the spirits. It was believed that breaking plates would keep the evil spirits at bay because they would believe the people involved were angry and upset—instead of celebrating. https://holidappy.com/party-planning/Why-do-Greeks-smash-plates-at-weddings
Gwynne Dyer writing from the UK casts a bright light on the doings and faintings there. https://lfpress.com/opinion/columnists/dyer-english-turkeys-vote-for-christmas-with-brexit-election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_Dyer – Good read!
Back when his column got reproduced in the NZ Herald he was usually accurate. Hasn't lost that faculty: "the English turkeys marched bravely up to the chopping block, confident this would be a Christmas to remember."
"Boris Johnson’s big victory in Thursday’s “Brexit election” was achieved almost entirely with English votes. Only 20 of the 364 seats won by the Conservative Party were in the other three nations of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will continue to be called that for several years, but this election has sounded its death knell. It was the votes of English nationalists who gave Johnson his victory, and they don’t really care if the U.K. survives. Just as well, because it won’t."
For a while Swordfish came to mind. Both show an addiction to studying the figures for accuracy and truth – crystal balls not allowed.
"More than half of Europeans believe the EU is likely to collapse within a generation, despite support for the bloc hitting heights not recorded in more than a quarter of a century.
In France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland, a majority of people surveyed thought EU disintegration was a “realistic possibility” in the next 10 to 20 years."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/majority-of-europeans-expect-end-of-eu-within-20-years
Yes good read-thanks. He is right about Johnson being a hard-right operator hidden under a buffoon act.
I think if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave, which as Dyer says is likely, the English will turn on the Tories for breaking up the union. Labour should be a shoe-in in 5 years time.
Watching the ageing of NZ and people who have been prominent; the cracks start and widen. Those who have concentrated on their personal projects without thinking about ethics and the affects on their own psyche, mental health and the goodness to society of their addictive focus may find eventually they can not slide away unnoticed.
Sir Ron Brierley – arrested. About – https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018727628/brierley-biographer-not-surprised-by-child-porn-arrest
In NZ Herald today – Gloriavale's shame: Second senior member convicted of child sex offending
Eric Watson's Cullen Group in liquidation https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12295218
* Eric Watson's Cullen Group has been moved into liquidation by court order, meaning it might no longer fight a $112 million tax judgment against it….
* Eric Watson loses appeal, can't avoid interest on £43 million payment to Sir Owen Glenn
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/search-results?q=Brierley
Attention: The Chairman
As you know, Moderators draw attention to their moderation notes and to bans in particular. There is an obvious reason for this, which is that moderation, in general, aims to be instructional, to encourage self-moderation and self-correction, and to (slightly) change behaviour on this site. However, the onus is on the commenters to read all the replies to their comments and respond accordingly and appropriately.
FYI, you were informed on 8th Dec: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30-11-2019/#comment-1671692 and you can see the reasons here: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30-11-2019/#comment-1669902
Sir Ron Brierley and Eric Watson.
Two of our worst capitalists, ruined.
Great end to 2019 in 1% land.
Shows how corrupting capitalism is in excess.
One so greedy many states want a part of him. And the other caught with kiddy porn – not just any old kiddy porn (sick as that is) – but really violent kiddy porn.
Couldn't agree more.
You have to hope that in February the Court of Appeal (and then the Supreme Court?) upholds the High Court's decision on the Cullen Group. Though this pales into insignificance compared to the $114m tax plus penalties owed by Watson. (Unless this is also subject to appeal-anyone out there know?)
The rich are often (nearly always) not the best of us.
So granting them supreme power isn't a great plan.
Peaches – The Presidents of the United States of America (Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvAnQqVJ3XQ
We can do something to help a previous helper who nursed burns victims from Whakaari Island.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/Whakaari-White-Island/405750/whaakari-white-island-nurse-who-helped-victims-sheila-cheng-killed-in-car-crash
A very sad death to add to the toll. Help the helper.
Sheila Cheng was killed in a car accident in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday, and her husband is in Waikato Hospital…
The nurse's friend Amanda Lorin said it is every family's worst nightmare.
A Givealittle page she set up to raise funds for the family has raised over $2000.
…Sheila was an experienced intensive care nurse who had worked in Taiwan, training others, before coming to New Zealand more than two years ago.
…Shelia had just gained a doctorate in nursing and started work at Whakatāne Hospital two months ago."She knew exactly what she was doing and I think they saw her as an angel that was sent because she knew so much about these burns victims."
A Xmas present for the left? Or, at least, the promise of one.
In his speech to parliament yesterday Winstone said NZ First has 'new information' on National Party fundraising and "we're coming for you."
Here's hoping. At around the ten minute mark.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=210859
What happened with NZF irregularities? Have we forgotten about that now?
It stopped being relevant to National so it got dropped by the media?
Update: "The report determines that “on the balance of probabilities, the emails … did not contain any attached document detailing her allegation of sexual assault by the respondent.” https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/18-12-2019/worst-nightmare-labour-staffer-complainants-respond-to-dew-report/
Most people determine whether or not an email has a file attached. Lawyers apparently prefer to differ. Opine on the balance of probabilities rather than report the fact. They must have learnt the utility of the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment from physicists. However physicists use equations to calculate probabilities, such as whether the cat is alive or dead. They don't just refer to some kind of subjective guess and call it a balance.
“There is no reference in Dew’s report to the email sent to the Labour panel on April 26 which seeks “an update on the investigation” and stresses: “Just adding the seriousness of the situation here, an accusation of sexual assault, manipulation, bullying and emotional abuse.””
“Nor is there any reference to another email, dated June 11, sent to the three members of the investigation panel, in which the complainant directs them to “attached … notes of testimony”. The attached document, as previously reported by The Spinoff, contains clear reference to her allegation: “SEXUAL ASSAULT occurred February 2018”.”
Why would anyone expect a QC to acknowledge evidence? Authority figures are appointed to announce personal opinion as verdict. So the Spinoff journalists saw the file attached to the email, but the QC couldn’t care less. And folks wonder why the justice system is in disrepute…
🍑 on both counts: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Interesting play from Gabbard; voting present instead of yes or no.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/president-donald-trump-impeached_n_5df97044e4b08083dc5b1802
230 – 197 on abuse of power, two Dems voted with all the Repugs, they're from districts Tangerine Tantrump solidly won in 2016.
229 – 198 on obstruction of Congress; the splitter was Jared Golden of Maine 2nd district (heavily rural and solidly for Genghis Don in 2016).
Justin Amash (independent, formerly Repug from Michigan) voted to impeach on both counts.
Gives her a unique selling point for the dems to select on, I guess.
Angling for a talking head gig at Fox or One America News Network?
As a fallback plan that's an idea, but I was still thinking more like "dolt supporters don't hate me because I'm not partisan, so I can beat the orange one".
But I reckon you might be more correct, the way she called the impeachment "partisan".
I can't believe she's so deluded she thinks there's a viable route to the White House. Looks to me like she's keenly aware of who her audience is and is playing them consciously and expertly.
But she must be aware the sum total of convergence moonbats, second-option bias fantasists, alt-lefties etc is tiny. The alt-righters, middle-finger voters, David Dukes and other deplorables aren't going to vote for her while they've still got the waddling spray-tan warning label to vote for. Nor will the tribal Repugs whose only voting criteria is what's got an (R) next to its name, even if it's the mouldering three-weeks-dead corpse of a brothel-keeper.
Interesting times if they expect the badly behaved tenant to depart as instructed.
Nobody is expecting the outcome to be the departure of the Combover Con.
But impeachment still serves a bunch of purposes.
First, if trying to extort a foreign country by withholding congress approved taxpayer funded aid to pressure that foreign country into smearing a domestic political opponent isn't so unacceptable to merit impeaching, then where's the line?
Next, it further helps clarify what a bunch of spineless craven toadies the current crop of Repug senators really are.
For the sake of those on phones that don't want to deal with a massive comment I'll leave it there …
My favourite is if they keep investigating everything, any mismatch between his financial transactions and his tax returns will be made public. And while the repugs can protect him from federal crimes, their reach at a state level varies wildly.
I'm sure NY will be very interested, for example. I really like the idea of him defending completely legitimate fraud charges to his grave.
There's already enough stuff in public that would have buried any other pollie. Like the differences in property valuations he told his lenders and what he told local authorities. I'd be astonished if there weren't already things in progress on those issues. But they won't do anything to constrain his behaviour while he remains in office.
Sad but true.
He's getting worse.
Is there no end to this hysterical, historical sexual accusation witchhunt thing?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12295303
Arthur Allan Thomas, the man pardoned of the infamous 1970 Crewe murders, has been charged with historical sexual offending.
The 81-year-old's case was called today in the Manukau District Court where Judge Charles Blackie ordered his interim name suppression to lapse.
Thomas faces four charges of indecent assault and one count of rape….
The allegations are historical in nature and relate to two complainants, who have automatic name suppression, and recently came forward to police.
Extensive suppression orders, however, remain and prevent the Herald from publishing further details, such as the date and place of the alleged offending.
But Thomas' name is not suppressed. The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit. The justice and rightness together need to be carefully looked at.
It is different about institutions. With institutions, and Catholic or other priests, the institution is also on trial along with its procedures. Has it known and there been a hush-hush acceptance, which needs examination and its lack of responsibility to those under its care.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Murdering somebody by forcefully strangling them for at least 5 minutes isn't anything to do with sexuality.
Probably could have worded that better … deliberately murdering someone isn't sexuality.
But there is so much wrong with Grey's post – Psycho Milt and others spell out some of them. I don't think Greywarshark thinks of women as actual people.
Grey I can't believe it. are you really referring Grace Millane as "that silly woman" or I have misunderstood what you are saying? Surely I have misunderstood. If not I think the moderators here need to take a look at this.
The police have taken a case against Thomas based on the evidence the complainants presented. The Crown lawyers must feel there is a case to answer.
No, you haven't misread it. This moran just called an innocent murder victim "that silly woman" 🙄
Moderator please.
No there isn't, and nor should there be, but interesting why you would rape apologise your comment with the use of 'hysterical' and 'witch hunt' to describe sexual assaults and rape.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Oh, strange fucking attitudes alright. That is the strangest I've seen for a while.
1. He didn't "hold a woman by the neck," he strangled a woman to death.
2. The heightened sexual effect was for him. What she wanted or didn't want can't be known.
3. Calling his victim "that silly woman" is seriously fucked up.
4. His name isn't openly available because he appealed the dropping of name suppression and NZ has rule of law, not because NZ is "too dainty to cope with sexuality."
5. Murdering someone isn't "sexuality"
6. Murdering someone isn't "procreation," in fact it's kind of the opposite.
As incredulous as posts like that are, and as much as I detest reading bullshit rape culture apologist nonsense, they do at least serve a purpose in letting us know who walks among us.
Job done, but probably not in the way the Nelson nibbler expected.
psycho Milt 100%
"Silly woman" wtf???
Disgraceful comment.
I think its quite neat that you can imPEACH a NUT!